Frontline Defenders extremely concerned by Morocco’s expulsion of Aminatou Haidar from Western Sahara
17/11/2009 | Solidarity-Support
Aminatou Haidar at airport in Lazanrote, Spain (Canary Islands)
Western Sahara
Human rights defender Ms Aminatou Haidar expelled from Western Sahara – UPDATE
Posted on 2009/11/17
Front Line is extremely concerned to learn that human rights defender Ms Aminatou Haidar has been expelled from Western Sahara and deported to the Canary Islands following her arbitrary arrest on 13 November 2009 at Laayoune airport. Moroccan authorities held her for nearly 22 hours before sending her to Spain. Aminatou Haidar is the chairwoman of the Collectif des Défenseurs Sahraouis des Droits de l´Homme – CODESA (Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders).
Further Information
On 13 November 2009, at 12.30 pm, human rights defender Ms Aminatou Haidar was arbitrarily arrested at Laayoune airport in Western Sahara just after getting off the plane coming from Las Palmas airport, Canary Islands. Around midnight that day, Moroccan authorities reportedly attempted to press Aminatou Haidar, in the presence of her family, to recognise Moroccan authority in Western Sahara by completing an airport arrival form indicating her nationality as Moroccan. When she refused to do so, she was told that she would not be allowed to return home, and was sent to Spain, after Moroccan authorities seized her passport. She has since refused to leave the Guecameta airport in Lanzarote and has stated her intention to begin a hunger strike in protest from midnight on 15-16 November.
This follows travel restrictions imposed by Moroccan authorities upon other Sahrawi human rights defenders in recent weeks. On 9 October 2009, Ms Sultana Khaya was prevented from travelling to Spain at the airport of Laayoune after her passport, ID card and Spanish residency document were confiscated by the authorities. On 15 November, Moroccan police reportedly detained Sultana Khaya for an hour and a half, after she was stopped at a surveillance blockade in the south west of Laayoune because she was missing her ID card – the same one which had been confiscated on 9 October. In October 2009, a group of five Saharawi human rights defenders were stopped while attempting to travel legally to Mauritania. The authorities confiscated their passports and ID cards, and drove them back to Dakhla.
The action taken against human rights defenders also includes restrictions upon their meetings with foreigners. For example, on 15 November 2009 Mr Brahim Sabbar, Secretary General of the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights – ASVDH, was reportedly prevented from meeting with a visiting French delegation in Legsabi in Southern Morocco.
Front Line believes that the restrictions against Aminatou Haidar and other Sahrawi activists are directly related to their work in the defence of human rights. Front Line is extremely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Aminatou Haidar.
Front Line urges the Moroccan authorities to:
1. Immediately and unconditionally allow Aminatou Haidar to enter Western Sahara and return to her home, as well as re-instating her passport;
2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Aminatou Haidar;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Western Sahara are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals, and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
Human rights defender Ms Aminatou Haidar expelled from Western Sahara – UPDATE
Posted on 2009/11/17
Front Line is extremely concerned to learn that human rights defender Ms Aminatou Haidar has been expelled from Western Sahara and deported to the Canary Islands following her arbitrary arrest on 13 November 2009 at Laayoune airport. Moroccan authorities held her for nearly 22 hours before sending her to Spain. Aminatou Haidar is the chairwoman of the Collectif des Défenseurs Sahraouis des Droits de l´Homme – CODESA (Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders).
Further Information
On 13 November 2009, at 12.30 pm, human rights defender Ms Aminatou Haidar was arbitrarily arrested at Laayoune airport in Western Sahara just after getting off the plane coming from Las Palmas airport, Canary Islands. Around midnight that day, Moroccan authorities reportedly attempted to press Aminatou Haidar, in the presence of her family, to recognise Moroccan authority in Western Sahara by completing an airport arrival form indicating her nationality as Moroccan. When she refused to do so, she was told that she would not be allowed to return home, and was sent to Spain, after Moroccan authorities seized her passport. She has since refused to leave the Guecameta airport in Lanzarote and has stated her intention to begin a hunger strike in protest from midnight on 15-16 November.
This follows travel restrictions imposed by Moroccan authorities upon other Sahrawi human rights defenders in recent weeks. On 9 October 2009, Ms Sultana Khaya was prevented from travelling to Spain at the airport of Laayoune after her passport, ID card and Spanish residency document were confiscated by the authorities. On 15 November, Moroccan police reportedly detained Sultana Khaya for an hour and a half, after she was stopped at a surveillance blockade in the south west of Laayoune because she was missing her ID card – the same one which had been confiscated on 9 October. In October 2009, a group of five Saharawi human rights defenders were stopped while attempting to travel legally to Mauritania. The authorities confiscated their passports and ID cards, and drove them back to Dakhla.
The action taken against human rights defenders also includes restrictions upon their meetings with foreigners. For example, on 15 November 2009 Mr Brahim Sabbar, Secretary General of the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights – ASVDH, was reportedly prevented from meeting with a visiting French delegation in Legsabi in Southern Morocco.
Front Line believes that the restrictions against Aminatou Haidar and other Sahrawi activists are directly related to their work in the defence of human rights. Front Line is extremely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Aminatou Haidar.
Front Line urges the Moroccan authorities to:
1. Immediately and unconditionally allow Aminatou Haidar to enter Western Sahara and return to her home, as well as re-instating her passport;
2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Aminatou Haidar;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Western Sahara are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals, and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
